Remote Working: The Truth Revealed


A year has passed since the pandemic started, shaking the global landscape and causing massive transitions to remote working and online/digital spaces. Yet, can we truly say that we are now ready for this paradigm? Unfortunately, for most organizations, the answer to that question is a resounding no. 

Is remote workingOpens in a new tab. the best option for businesses as the COVID-19 pandemic rages on? Remote work is the most plausible platform supervisors and managers can have for now. However, remote working has advantages and disadvantages for both employers and employees, most especially for employers who seek to actively keep their subordinates’ productivity high.

Let us look into the concept of remote working and what different companies and industry leaders across the world had to say about the remote working experience. 

Despite the best-laid contingency plans and the initial shift of some business sectors to the digital and hybrid working setup, no one could have fully prepared companies (and to a greater extent, themselves) for this uprooting in work and lifestyle practices. 

This is not to say that remote working has not been looked at positively. Employees from Honolulu believe that the remote working model is here to stayOpens in a new tab. despite having tremendous business adjustments. Regardless of this pivot, forcing employers to allow work from home setups has truly lifted the spirits of the majority of employees due to its flexibility, giving the latter an opportunity to finally achieve the sought-after work-life balance.


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Why Is Remote Working Not Good For Everyone?

There are several reasonsOpens in a new tab. why remote working is highlighted and touted as the solution to the pandemic. For employees, it could be flexibility, time management, no travel requirements, and a lot of other things. For employers, advantages could include cutting back on costs such as office rental and maintenance fees.

However, not everyone sees remote working in such a positive light. According to some experts, it would be incorrect to assume that remote working is the futureOpens in a new tab. and that this is good for everyone involved. A few groups of individuals still believe that the long-term solution rests in the hybrid work model.

The hybrid workplaceOpens in a new tab. combines the virtual (digital) and the traditional (physical). This paradigm is comparable to how school systems, business entities, and even research groups have created a schedule wherein employees are required to report to the office a few days per week. This is beneficial for several reasons, including:

Ensuring Safety and Well-being – The hybrid model typically contains policies that ensure that employees’ health and wellness, including mental health, are well taken care of. 

Improvement of Experience – This change in work dynamic creates a new mindset that shifts away from the typical means of supervision and accomplishment of work-related responsibilities.

Reset of Expectations – As with every change, a new or varied set of expectations would arise, giving employees and employers alike the opportunity to change their perceptions and calibrate their drive and motivations for work.

The Truth Behind Remote Working and the Role of Employee Trust

Is remote working the most ideal setup? Well, in this time of the pandemic, the answer to that is yes. Remote working is one of the best optionsOpens in a new tab. to consider right now to maintain production and produce output without sacrificing the safety and well-being of workers and employees. 

If there is one thing that can be said with certainty, it is that the remote working experience has been different for each and every employee. There is a seemingly great gap or inequalityOpens in a new tab. that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later. 

In one of our videos from our channel library at YouTube, we have Ken van Someren visit for an interview. Ken is an expert in business and productivity and is well-known for his work on improving human performance for the benefit of large firms or institutions. He guides us through the concept of remote working, the difficulties business owners face these days, and knowing how much value should be placed into an employee’s trust. Among the several great points, he raised were the following golden bits of information:

– The concept of employee trust and how it manifests into productivity and great workplace culture

– The obstacles of business owners, both traditional and new

– Why overhyping is perceived in such a positive light and what it should be truly seen as

If you are interested to know more about remote working, check out the full interview first.

What do you think of remote working post-pandemic? Is it still a viable option or should we explore options to return to how things were before COVID-19? Is remote working being implemented effectively or are there still problem areas that still need some work from business owners and key management officials?

Join our discussion on our Discord server via the following link: 

https://discord.gg/gbJ9Ta78JGOpens in a new tab.

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Steve Todd

Steve Todd, founder of Open Sourced Workplace and is a recognized thought leader in workplace strategy and the future of work. With a passion for work from anywhere, Steve has successfully implemented transformative strategies that enhance productivity and employee satisfaction. Through Open Sourced Workplace, he fosters collaboration among HR, facilities management, technology, and real estate professionals, providing valuable insights and resources. As a speaker and contributor to various publications, Steve remains dedicated to staying at the forefront of workplace innovation, helping organizations thrive in today's dynamic work environment.

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